97 "Shall we not form a temporary united front?"

From behind Kushihashi Seiryuu, a single figure approached while clad in an aura of seething flame.

It was a girl wearing a blazer whose basic tone was red—no, vermillion. For her age, she seemed to about the same age as Tobio and the others.

She was a beautiful looking girl with glossy black hair worn in a ponytail.

Kushihashi Seiryuu spoke to the girl while exhaling.

"I hadn't heard that you would be coming, Suzaku."

"It is something you weren't informed about."

The girl who had been referred to as Suzaku laughed slightly. Then she looked behind Seiryuu.

"Can you please withdraw your sword? It will be problematic if you kill the next head of the Kushihashi family," Suzaku asked.

"Hehe, as expected of the next head of the Samejima family" Someone spoke from behind of Seiryuu.

Jason withdrew Balmung.

(When did he get here?) Thought Seiryuu as cold sweat went through his back.

Then, Suzaku bowed to Barakiel.

"It has been a long time, has it not. Barakiel oji-sama."

At the appearance of Suzaku, Barakiel's expression became extremely complex.

"Suzaku, huh."

"Yes, it has been a while since that occasion when we met."

Suzaku replied in this manner while displaying a smile.

"You've gotten so big."

"For Oji-sama to have come together with Tobio and the Four Fiends…could this also be fate?"

"I'm merely teaching them the art of fighting."

Suzaku approached Tobio.

"Ikuse Tobio. I'm Suzaku. Himejima Suzaku. Your 'second cousin'. Nice to meet you, Tobio."

"Just for a bit, there's something I would speak with you about. Concerning the remaining Four Fiends, I would like to have a discussion. Would you be so kind as to accompany me?"

Suzaku asked the question to all of them, but her gaze was fixed in Jason. She somehow understood that the final decision was in the hands of the young man. Suzaku felt weird because the young man was looking at her in a strange manner.

"Do you need anything?"

"No, you just resemble someone I know." Jason shook his head.

"Let's go," Jason agreed with her proposal.

Baraqiel also agreed with it, and they journeyed to the location Suzaku had prepared.

Jason and the others, being lead by Himejima Suzaku and Kushihashi Seiryuu, left the shopping district and eventually arrived in an office locale at an enormous building that towered over the area.

A garden had been established on the roof of the building. There was a penthouse there. It was inside of this to which Jason and the others were admitted.

As for the inside the rooftop-built penthouse, it was heavily Japanese-style, as even the room to which Jason and the others were escorted was a Japanese-style room with tatami mats.

In this Japanese-style room, Jason and the others were seated along with Himejima Suzaku and Kushihashi Seiryuu, as though in a meeting. Completely without disrupting her posture, the manner in which Himejima Suzaku so meticulously sat down made it clear that the training she has received on social norms was quite high end.

"To begin with, there is something of which I must speak. The earlier matter involving the 'Utsusemi Agency', their recklessness is the blunder of the five families. For having gotten you all involved in that, I wish to formally apologize."

Suzaku bowed her head. Kushihashi Seiryuu, who was holding position behind her, had also bowed his head, but, in some respects, his expression was curt.

Samjima, who was seated next to Tobio, was also feeling anger with a bulging vein towards Kushihashi Seiryuu's expression, but since Barakiel had ordered him ahead of time to show restraint, he clenched his fist to bear with it.

Concerning the incident involving the 'Utsusemi Agency', initially it occurred as a result of the circumstances of those five families. Moreover, Tobio and the others, who had gotten wrapped up in it, had reason to complain, or rather, it would be excusable from them to rave while grasping the other person by the collar...but even if they did so it would only serve to further complicate the relationship.

Suzaku spoke while looking at Barakiel.

"Like the Grigori, our side is individually pursuing the remnants of the 'Utsusemi Agency', as well as that group of magicians who are cooperating with them, 'Oz'. We have confirmed that while they are evading our pursuit, there is something that they are pursuing."

Barakiel spoke up.

"The remaining 'Four Fiends' is it?"

Suzaku calmly nodded in response to the word of the fallen angel Cadre.

"Yes, we've heard that the former Ryoukou High Schooler had taken refuge in the mountains near a certain prefectural border, where the remnants and the people from Oz are in the process of tracking them down. Based on the information of our own spies who have been deployed on site, it's been verified that there's already been skirmishes between them."

"Contact with those spies almost ceased a few days ago. Most likely..."

Suzaku, her eyes severe, made an inquiry of Barakiel.

"I have heard that within the Grigori there was a fiendish force. A force organized from people in possession of rare and ferocious sacred gears… 'Those Who Fell into the Abyss '. They are the ones known as the 'Abyss Team, are they not?"

Jason looked at the interaction between Suzaku and Baraqiel with curiosity. What was this Abyss Team, and why wasn't he informed about them?

Jason gazed stoped in Baraqiel, he was looking for an answer from the cadre class leader.

Given that Lavinia and Vali accepted those words calmly, it would seem that they have known about it.

Jason complained to Barakiel.

"Barakiel, why I'm not informed about this?"

Jason had all the right to complain. He was told to help Tobio and the others by Azazel, but he didn't tell him anything about the situation.

Barakiel let out a single breath before answering.

"It was something Azazel told me to discuss with you once I observed the timing to be appropriate. My apologies. As she said, the Cadre who betrayed us, Sataniel, when he left the Grigori, he took a certain force with him. Nephilim Abyss, also known as the Abyss Team. They are students of Sataniel, and on top of that, they consist of the owners of fiendish sacred gears. For the human world, they're nothing but dangerous abilities with the potential to have a negative influence. For that reason, they had been placed under the protection of us Grigori."

Suzaku inquired of Barakiel.

"By all rights, I have heard that the disposal of ability users is a matter of course. Why then was this not done? From ancient times, records of the Grigori doing this have been passed down and yet…"

When it came to sacred gears that could not be controlled, he had heard that the Grigori, from time immemorial, had dealt with them severely, but…

Barakiel put on a troubled expression and didn't say anything at all in answer.

"…The only reply I can give is that we are also not monolithic."

"Heh, that old fart Azazel" Jason laughed mischievously.

Baraqiel shot an angry look toward Jason.

"Don't be unrespectful with the governor-general or I would-"

"And you would what? Are you threating me, Baraqiel?" Jason gazed at Baraqiel with deadpan eyes.

Baraqiel swallowed his words and remained silent. Azazel has already ordered him to be respectful towards Jason, he needs to be treated as his own real son.

Looking at Barakiel, Kushihashi Seiryuu put on a cynical smile.

"So this is a Cadre leader of Grigori."

"Seiryuu."

Suzaku uttered a rebuke.

"Alright, alright."

Seiryuu shrugged his shoulders.

Returning to the topic of conversation, Suzaku continued.

"In regards to the one contacted by the Agency remnants and the magicians, Húndùn. I imagine that you also know of the individual involved"

In response to Suzaku's statement, Barakiel,

"Koga Hyousuke, correct?"

Followed up with that. Koga Hyousuke. He was the remaining Four Fiends. He was a student of Ryoukou, classmate, who hadn't been rescued yet. Jason and the others had also been informed of who the remaining Four Fiends were.

"...Koga huh. That'll certainly be troublesome."

The one who spoke after exhaling as though sighing was Samejima. Even for Samejima the delinquent, his expression was just that bitter.

Suzaku changed over to the main issue as though throwing a switch.

"Well then, I would like to take this moment to convey my true intentions for organizing all of this at the present place and time."

After a beat, she stated the following.

"Shall we not form a temporary united front?"

Tobio and the others were shocked at this sudden proposal from Someone from the Himejima, but Barakiel, Vali, Lavinia and Jason gave no particular reaction.

Suzaku continued.

"We will be putting forward our best efforts, the object being the capture of the Agency remnants. At present, in regards to the Four Fiends and the Magicians of Oz that participated with them, should they become hostile towards us we shall take the position of dealing with them."